Gas-regulator



(No Model.)

G. W. WRIGHT.

GAS REGULATOR.

No. 422,483.' Patented Mar. '4'. 1890.

` WJIATSSES. l

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

GEORGE WV. WRIGHT, OF LAPEI., INDIANA.

GAS-REGU LATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,483, dated March 4, 1890.

Application filed November 25, 1889. Serial No. 331,503. (No model.)

To all whom it 71mg concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. VRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lapel, in the county of Madison and State of Indi ana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of regulators by which the pressure of gas is reduced in the pipes, and it is designed particularlyl for reducing such pressure between the pipes which come from the wells and the pipes which lead to the places where the gas is to be consumed in natural-gas fitting, it being interposedbetween what are commonlyknown as hi gh-pressure and low-pressure pipes. My said invention will first be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying' drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a regulator and fragments of pipe attached thereto, embodying my said invention, on the dotted line 1 l in Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a similar view on the dotted line 2 2 in Fig.y l; Fig. 3, a top or plan view of the regulator with the npper portion or cap removed, and Fig. l a hori Zontal sectional view on the dotted line 4 4in Fig. 1. f

In said drawings the portions marked A,

A', and A2 represent the walls or lcasing of my improved regulator; B, the incoming or l'iigh-pressure gas-pipe; C, the valve; D, a yoke through which,.by means of a weight and a diaphragm, said valve is operated; E, said diaphragm; F, said weight; G, the outgoing or low-pressure pipe, and I-I a blow-off or escape-valve.

The central or main portion Av of the body of my improved regulator has a hollow arm A3, which projects inwardly to the center thereof and the outer or open end of which is connected to the incoming or high-pressure gas-pipe B, as shown. In one side thereof is a hole, the center of which is preferably coincident with the center of the entire struct ure in which the valve is seated. The en tire space surrounding this inwardly-projecte ing hollow arm forms a chamber communi cating with the outgoing or lowpressure gas-pipe. This chamber is inclosed at the top by the roof-like portion or covering-flan ge A', and a somewhat similar portion A2 in closes and protects the diaphragm at the other end. This latter portion, however, is for purposes of protection only sorfar as the diaphragm is concerned, as there are holes formed therein which permit the air toenter from the outside to the space between it and 6o the diaphragm. It contains aV central hole which forms a bearing for the stem of the yoke D, and has downwardly-projecting ears a2, in which the lever carrying the weight is pivoted. vThe pipe I3,l and also the pipe G, 6;

are simply ordinary gas-pipes connected with the regulator, as shown, and need no special description.

The valve C is adouble valve. A cylindrical casing C' is provided therefor, which is 7o seated in the hole in the upper side of the inwardly-projecting arm A3, which hole is generally screwthreaded, and this cylinder has corresponding screw-threads upon its exterior by which it is secured therein. Said cylin- 7 5 der C has a flange c just above said arm A3, which is preferably hexagonal or octagonal in shape, and thus serves as a nut by which said cylinder can be screwed in place. Thelower end of said cylinderis contracted, leaving an 8o orifice of only the size desired, the upper side of which oriiiceis tapered somewhat and forms a valve-seat on which the valve C rests when the valve is closed. Upon the upper end of :this cylinder C is a cap C2, which is preferably secured thereto bybeing interiorlyscrewthreaded, as shown, and in the center of which is an opening through which the gas escapes to the chamber, and which also forms a valveseat` for the other end of the valve'. Then 9o said valve is forced to position against this valve-seat, the passage of gas is completely cut off. The valve C, as before stated, rests in this cylinder C and is tapered at or near each end to iit into the two valve-seats, re-

spectively. Its central portion is considerably larger than the portions which fit against the valve-seats, and the sides of this central portion are cnt away to permit the passage of gas when the valve is open.

trated best in Fig. ai.. A central stem c3 eX- tends from this valve up to above the top of This is illusroc the cap C2, and is there connected to the yoke D, as will be presently described.

The yoke D extends up on both sides of the inwardly-projecting arm A3, and is connected to the upwardly-proj ectin g stein c3 011 the valve C by a cross-bar D', as shown mostplainly in Fig. 2. Its lower end develops into a stem which extends down through the bottom A2 to the regulator and there engages with the `lever F to the weight F. Inside the charnber this stem is provided with a flange (l, against which the diaphragm is forced by a nut d on said stein at the other side ot said diaphragm, as shown. The under side of this flange, which comes in contact with said diaphragm, is turned olf and preferably cupped somewhat, as shown, in order to make a perfectly gas-tight joint. The opening through the lower end of the stem of this yoke, which receives the lever tothe weight, is preferably tapered to a knife-edge f, which enables the weight to operate better than it otherwise would. v

The diaphragm E consists of a sheet of flexible material stretched across the widest portion of the chamber, as is usual, and a plate on the outside thereof which serves t-o support it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Asbefore stated, it is tightly clamped on the stem of the yoke between the flange d and the nut d.

The weight F is mounted on a lever F', which in turn is pivoted to the ears a2 on the lower portion A2 of the regulator. It is arranged to operate oppositely to the force of the gas in the chamber against the diaphragm, and is made adjustable on its lever, in order that the proper relative adjustment may be obtained.

As before stated, the lever F rests against a knife-edge formation in the lower end of the stem of the yoke D, and its end which passes through the slot in said stem is beveled, as shown. This enables the Weight to automatically lock the lever in position when the valve C has been forced up against its upper seat, (and the supply of gas thus entirely cut oli as the corner at the upper side of said beveled portion will pass said knife-edge, bringing said edge down upon said beveled end, and thus locking the yoke and the valve after the manner of a pawl. This forms what is generallyknown as an automatic cut-off, and, as will be readily understood, is an exceedingly effective device for the purpose, while, because ot the peculiar formation of the bearing between the lever and the stem of the yoke, it is impossible for it to be disturbed without first lifting the weight by some force outside the regulator itself.

I have shown my regulator with the valve above and the diaphragm and weight below the gas-pipes. I prefer this arrangemeutbecause of its better appearance and because it brings the greater portion of the weight below the point where the regulator is coupled to the pipes. I do not, however, desire to conne myself to this arrangement, as by an obviously easy rearrangement of some of the parts the regulator can be made to work as effectively in a reverse position, as will be readily understood.

IIaving thus fully described my said invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, in a gas-regulator, of the shell thereof, an inwardly-projectinghollow arm, a valve located in said arm, a yoke the arms of which extend up and are connected to said valve above said arm, a diaphragm secured to a stem on said yoke below said arm in an enlarged portion of the regnlater, said stem beingeontinued down through the bottom of the regulator, a lever pivoted in ears on the bottom of the regulator and engaging with said stein at its inner end, and an adjustable weight on the outer end of said lever, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of the cylinder C', the cap C2 thereon, a valve-seat in each, and a valve C, operating between said valve-seats and adapted to close either, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the valve C, thc cylinder C', the hollow arm A3, in which said cylinder is located, the yoke D, the two arms of which extend up on each side of said arm, and the cross-bar D by which they are connected to said valve, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the valve, the yoke, the weight, and a lever connecting the yoke and the weight, said lever being beveled at its end, as shown, whereby it is adapted to automatically lock said yoke in elevated position whenever said valve reaches its extreme position in that direction, substantially as set forth. l

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this lSth day of November, A. D. 1889.

GEORGE IV. TRIGII'II Witnesses:

C. BRADFORD, J. WALSH.

[n sa] IOO 

